Freak Friday

Osseous Walkers are the skeletal remnants of those Ancients who have been subjected to nanomachine bone grafts. They appear as human-sized silvery-grey bones arrayed like an anatomical model skeleton. While not capable of advanced reasoning, the nanomachines are able to use their skeletal form to utilize weapons in a club-like fashion.

These nanomachines have very limited programming and only seek to support the bone structure they are grafted onto. In order to support bone tissue, they seek living creatures for the biological nutrients contained in living bodies, though they do not masticate them. In order to transfer the nutrients needed, the nanomachines need to place the bones in direct contact with immobilized creatures. Immobilization is best done through killing the creature, though the nutrient material needed only remains viable in the first day or so.

Osseous Walkers generally lair in ruins or underground, where they can safely remain in contact with their nutrient "baths" with little disruption. Those found actually walking will do so because the nanomachines have detected new sources of nutrients for the bones they support. As there is no biological intelligence to be found in Osseous Walkers, they are unaffected by mental mutations which affect the mind. Mental mutations capable of linking with computers/robots will only sense the basic desire of the nanomachines to find sources of nutrients for the bones.